Vestibular Disorders: An Overview
By the Vestibular Disorders Association
The vestibular system includes the parts of the inner ear and brain that process the sensory information involved with controlling balance and eye movements. If disease or injury damages these processing areas, vestibular disorders can result. Vestibular disorders can also result from or be worsened by genetic or environmental conditions, or occur for unknown reasons.
Symptoms:
Symptoms of vestibular dysfunction may be mild, lasting perhaps only seconds or minutes, or they may be severe, resulting in total disability. Not all symptoms will be experienced by every person, and other symptoms are possible. Common symptoms of vestibular disorders are listed below.
• Imbalance or unsteadiness
• Vertigo, (a spinning or whirling sensation; an illusion of the self or world moving)
• Dizziness (a lightheaded, floating, or rocking sensation)
• Blurred or bouncing vision
• Nausea • Hearing changes
• Problems with coordination, thinking, and memory
In addition, people with vestibular disorders may experience headaches and muscular aches in the neck and back, an increased tendency to suffer from motion sickness, and elevated sensitivity to noise and bright lights. People with vestibular disorders often report fatigue that can be so severe that it interferes with their reading and speech ability. If symptoms persist, a person may experience increased irritability, loss of self-esteem, and depression.
Causes:
Whiplash and blows to the head are common causes of vestibular disorders in people under 50 years of age. Exposure to sudden or significant pressure changes, as occur during scuba diving or rapid descent or ascent in an aircraft, can injure the ear. Advancing age can also change the vestibular system and result in balance disturbances.
Ear infections may also cause damage to the vestibular and hearing structures of the inner ear, including the nerves that transmit signals from the ear to the brain.
High doses or long-term use of certain antibiotics can be ototoxic, meaning that they cause permanent damage to the inner ear. Other drugs, such as aspirin, caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, sedatives, and tranquilizers, can cause temporary dizziness but typically do not result in permanent damage to the vestibular system.
Treatment:
In some cases, the symptoms may diminish or disappear without treatment as the vestibular system heals or the nervous system learns to compensate for the disorder. When symptoms persist, treatment can provide a complete cure for some. In other persistent cases, the symptoms can only be controlled, not eliminated entirely. Treatment for vestibular disorders varies according to the diagnosis, and may consist of head maneuvers, diet changes, a special form of physical therapy called vestibular rehabilitation therapy, prescribed drugs or equipment, or in some cases surgery.